The Arizona Diamondbacks have been bad for the past few seasons.
As they have only made the playoffs three times in the past 20 years.
In 2021, they have struggled once again.
The Diamondbacks have a 60-67 record which has them fourth in the NL West.
With that being said, when you struggle for so many seasons, you get a bunch of top draft picks.
The Diamondbacks have seemingly cashed in on a few of those draft picks and the future of the franchise looks bright.
According to MLB.com, Arizona has four prospects rated in the top 100, and three of them are in the top 13.
Plus, they have a few young players that are already contributing to the big-league club.
Here are some of the names that the Diamondbacks will rely on to get them back to the playoffs.
Corbin Carroll
The third-ranked prospect in all of baseball made his MLB debut on Monday.
In which, he had his first-career hit on a two-RBI double.
Corbin Carroll has the chance to be Arizona’s best player by some point in 2023.
He has all the tools you look for in a great player.
He hits for power, has elite speed, and can cover plenty of ground in the outfield.
Corbin Carroll can fly.
The top @Dbacks prospect races down the line at 31 feet per second (30 ft/s is considered elite) to keep Arizona's inning alive in his debut! pic.twitter.com/Yyreowjeg2
— MLB Pipeline (@MLBPipeline) August 30, 2022
In 93 games across three levels, Carroll hit .307 with 24 home runs, 62 RBI, and 31 stolen bases.
Plus, he is still only 22 years old, with plenty of development left for him.
He has star potential and getting the opportunity to play the first month of his career in 2022 should help him in the long run.
There is no pressure on Carroll to produce right away because the Diamondbacks are already out of it.
Any success Carroll has in 2022 can help give him plenty of confidence heading into next season.
Alek Thomas
Another big-time prospect is outfielder Alek Thomas who has already played 93 games in the majors this season.
Thomas has shown flashes this season but his overall numbers are not overwhelming.
He is hitting a .240 with eight home runs and 33 RBI.
Thomas is 22 years old and like Carroll will have a spot in this Arizona outfield for many years to come.
In four minor league seasons, Thomas has never hit below .277 and his OPS has always been above .829.
The hit tool is there for Thomas and all he needs is time for it to fully develop.
Zac Gallen
The best pitcher on the Diamondback is right-hander, Zac Gallen.
In 24 starts, Gallen is 9-2 with a 2.66 ERA.
He has thrown 138.2 innings with 138 strikeouts, he even has a WHIP of 0.966.
Gallen came over to the D-Backs in 2019 in a trade with the Miami Marlins.
In the shortened 2020 season, Gallen finished ninth in the NL Cy Young voting.
The 26-year-old is in the middle of the most innings he has ever pitched in his career.
Before this season, he has never surpassed 121.1 innings.
Since the All-Star break, Gallen has been untouchable.
He has thrown 45.0 innings giving up 23 hits and four runs, for an ERA of 0.80.
He is even on an incredible streak right now,
Another day, another scoreless outing by Zac Gallen 🚫
His 27.1 inning scoreless streak is the 5th longest by a pitcher in @Dbacks history 🤯 pic.twitter.com/VPWBekMXkE
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) August 25, 2022
Gallen has the potential to be a front-line starter if he can remain healthy.
He is the best pitcher in their organization and can be the ace on a playoff team.
The Prospects
After Carroll, the Diamondbacks have two other prospects ranked in the top 13 of the MLB.com top 100 prospects list.
Those names are shortstop Jordan Lawlar and outfielder Druw Jones.
Lawlar was the sixth overall pick in the 2021 draft with Jones being picked second overall this past draft.
Both players have elite potential.
Lawlar is hitting .324 with an OPS of .955 over four levels in the minors this season.
On the other hand, Jones has yet to make his professional debut, due to a left-shoulder injury.
Jones is the son of former MLB All-Star Andruw Jones and has the fielding ability similar to his dad.
The 18-year-old is expected to be an elite MLB outfielder along with being a stolen base menace.
If the hit tool can develop over the next few years in the minors, Jones has the chance to be a special five-tool player.
NEXT: The Diamondbacks Are Focusing On The Future With Latest Move